Miscellaneous Intelligence. 133 
2. On former changes in the Aral Sea; by H. C. Rawiryson, (from 
Roy. Geogr. Soc, March 11, 1867.)—There were certain points 
connected with the rivers Oxus and Jaxartes which he proposed to bring 
prominently before the meeting. They referred to a physical phenome- 
first to the fifth magnitude, so the Aral was at times a great inland sea 
300 or 400 miles in length, at other times a mere reedy marsh, and even, 
occasionally, a hard desert land, so that travellers actually passed across 
it without being aware that they were travelling over the bed of a sea. 
Humboldt had devoted 200 of his famous work ‘ Asie Centrale’ to 
discussion of the geography of the Aral and the Caspian, and he had 
established beyond dispute that the Oxus had a variable course, some- 
times falling into one sea and sometimes into the other; but he had not 
ventured to assert that the Aral ever disappeared altogether. Neverthe- 
less, he (the Chairman) maintained that we had direct evidence of the 
in modern times, and he thought we had a right to assume its occur- 
rence In ancient times. 
The argument was briefly as follows: In all classical antiquity, from 
the earliest date, say from 600 years B.c. to 500 or 600 years 
—the Sea of Aral was utterly unknown in geography. There was not 
One single authority—Greek, Latin, or native Persian—who mentioned 
- The two great rivers, the Oxus and the Jaxartes, which, by their 
tributions now form that sea, were described by authors as falling 
Into the Caspian. It must be remembered, too, that Alexander the Great 
tucted an army into that part of Asia, and employed officers for the 
express purpose of ascertaining the geo, 
| the variable stars in astronomy. As there were stars varying from the 
09 
: é Caspian, while he in person crossed the Oxus, and reac 
the banks of the Jaxartes. Hence he must have accurate infor- 
ation as to those localities, and yet the account which his officers 
0 Greece was tha 
; hairm lled ar 
Mconsiderable depression in the table-land of Central Asia, having no 
nivers already mentioned, so it follo 
wed that if those rivers at any tl 
